TALE OF A CITY 136 Sheikh Sultan with negligence in running the affairs of his territories. For example, the Sharjah Political Officer sent a letter dated 9 February 1948 to Sheikh Sultan accusing the guards of the Sheikh of being thieves who stole things from the car belonging to Ahmed bin Abdulrazzaq al-Bahreini, when he was travelling to Muscat and had stopped at al-Fayah, leaving his car unguarded. The letter said that most of the guards from Bani Qitab employed by Sheikh Sultan were thieves and kidnappers, and that their employment meant that their thieving activities were not objectionable. The letter also named Rashed and Hamad al-Saman as being responsible for many criminal activities. The Political Agent requested that the least that Sheikh Sultan needed to do was to dismiss them from his service and prevent them from coming to his town in the future.1 Sheikh Sultan defended both men, as they were his own military escorts, let alone that they were in Sharjah in his company and not anywhere near Wadi Qur or al-Fayah as falsely accused. For the following threemonths, there were exchanges between the Sharjah Political Office and Sheikh Sultan involving accusations and threats.2 The heated situation culminated with instructions by the Gulf Political Resident that the HMS Wren head to Sharjah. It arrived at 5.00 PM on 23 July 1948. As soon as it arrived the Bahrain Political Agent, J. C. Pelly, went on board and confirmed with the ship commander that he was going to be taken together with Sheikh Sultan bin Salem to Bahrain. Then, he returned to the Sharjah Political Agency and sent the Political Agent Jasim bin Muhammad al-Kazmawi to Sharjah to bring Sheikh Sultan bin Salem. In spite of the fact that Sheikh Sultan complied with the request, Mr. Pelly, who had arrived to Sharjah on 19 July, was unable to meet with him before. The purpose of their meeting was for the Agent to provide advice and give warning to Sheikh Sultan bin Salem not to instigate troubles. Sheikh Sultan bin Salem arrived at the Agency at 6.00 PM and -accompanied by Jasim al-Kazmawi- went on to meet the Bahrain Political 1 I.O.R./R/15/4/1, p.39. 2 Ibid., pp.40−50.
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